Urey: Mars Organic and Oxidant Detector 2009 Q2

探测地球以外的行星上的生命是现代太空探索的一个主要目标。一般认为，太阳系其他地方最有可能存在生命的地方是火星。最近来自这颗红色星球的数据增强了人们对火星上可能存在生命的乐观情绪。行星任务，如火星全球勘测者号、火星奥德赛号、火星快车号和火星探测漫游者号，已经揭示了液态水产生的地貌和矿物的广泛证据。目前，科学界和公众对火星上过去是否存在生命或是否仍然存在生命非常感兴趣，这颗行星将成为即将于2013年发射的ExoMars使命的重点。ExoMars漫游车包含一套有机分析仪器，以前所未有的灵敏度，特异性和分析置信度检测有机化合物。Urey仪器是这套仪器的核心，它将对火星环境进行突破性的调查，其中将涉及寻找指示生命和生命前化学的有机化合物，其灵敏度比以前的现场有机探测系统高出许多数量级。英国的责任是建议样品选择，确定提取条件，推动有机组合的初步表征和执行非生物成因的PAH碳氢化合物的详细鉴定。这些任务使联合王国的努力处于ExoMars有机探测实验的最前沿。该提案要求继续提供资金，以继续开展Urey项目的工作。

The detection of life on planets other than the Earth is a major goal of modern space exploration. It is generally considered that the most likely host for life elsewhere in our Solar System is the planet Mars. Optimism surrounding the possibility of current life on Mars has been boosted by recent data from the red planet. Planetary missions, such as Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, Mars Express and the Mars Exploration Rovers have revealed extensive evidence of landforms and minerals produced by liquid water. Extreme scientific and public interest currently exists about whether life has been present in the past or still exists on Mars and it is this planet that will be the focus of the forthcoming ExoMars mission set to launch in 2013. The ExoMars rover contains a suite of organic analytical instruments to detect organic compounds at unprecedented levels of sensitivity, specificity and analytical confidence. The Urey instrument is central to that package and will perform a groundbreaking investigation of the Martian environment that will involve searching for organic compounds indicative of life and prebiotic chemistry at a sensitivity many orders of magnitude greater than obtained in previous in situ organic detection systems. UK responsibility is in advising sample selection, determining extraction conditions, driving preliminary characterization of organic assemblages and performing detailed identification of abiogenic PAH hydrocarbons. These tasks place the UK effort at the forefront of the ExoMars organic detection experiments. This proposal requests the continuation of funding to continue work on the Urey project.